Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has insisted that rivals Manchester United will be "stronger than last year" under the management of Jose Mourinho.
Some of world football's biggest names, including both Guardiola and Mourinho, will battle it out at the top of the Premier League next season.
United are aiming to improve on three years of disappointment since the departure of Sir Alex Ferguson, while City themselves need to step things up after an underwhelming campaign last time out.
Ahead of their first meeting in charge of their respective new clubs in Monday's pre-season friendly clash, and their first coming together of any sort on the touchline in four years, Guardiola admitted that he expects more of a challenge from the Red Devils.
"I am pretty sure they will be stronger than last year," Sky Sports News quotes him as saying. "With this manager and the good players they already had, they will be a good team."
Guardiola, who has tasted plenty of success at former clubs Barcelona and Bayern Munich, also revealed that he fully intends to shake hands with his opposite number before the Beijing friendly.
"Of course, we're polite guys. Why not? Why wouldn't I shake hands? [Mourinho] wants to win, I want to win," he added. "But it is a friendly game, a really friendly game."
United and City finished level on points in the Premier League last season, but the Citizens qualified for a Champions League berth in fourth place thanks to a superior goal difference.
Daniel Lewis
